The Secret Emerald Project Part One: Giving Life to the Master Emerald
by islaty13
Summary: In his hunger for revenge, Professor Gerald Robotnik goes to an unknown planet and kidnaps a young princess. With a small piece of the Master Emerald and the young feline, he decides to make a new creation. Will this be a fatal failure or a dangerous success?
1. Prologue

_**HELLO, DEAR VIEWERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE YOU BEGIN READING THIS PIECE OF WORK. - IF THIS STORY SEEMS VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU, AS IN BY "WORD-FOR-WORD", I WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS A STORY THAT ORIGINATED FROM ANOTHER ACCOUNT. I AM NOT STEALING THIS STORY AS I AM THE VERY SAME AUTHOR WHO FIRST WROTE THIS STORY. IF YOU DID NOT GO TO MY PROFILE BEFORE READING THIS STORY, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT YOU READ MY PROFILE BIO BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO READ AND LEAVE COMMENTS SAYING I STOLE THIS STORY. WITH THAT SAID, JUST KNOW THIS IS MY RIGHTFUL STORY AND I AM NOT A THIEF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.**_

Prologue

Gerald walked through the automatic sliding doors and quickly locked them. He walked over to a large, vertical tube in the center of the lab. He placed the oxygen mask over the small, black furry's face. The tiny feline squirmed in his arms as he did so. Finally, with the help of his machines,he placed the baby panther in the water-filled tube. The baby panther shivered within it.

"Soon, you will become of use for me, my dear. I will get my revenge on those pathetic humans. Then will they truly know the name of Gerald Robotnik." Gerald opened his palm to reveal a beautiful golden locket, shaped as a heart. The small baby panther opened her bright, amber eyes slightly, responding to Gerald's voice.

"They have taken away my sweet Maria and that is where you will come in. You will be a new creation, far better than anything I have created, perhaps even surpassing my greatest one. Much lies ahead for you in the future." Gerald said, looking into the amber eyes of the young furry. The small panther closed her eyes, accepting her destiny.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a dark, cold winter night, one moon cycle away from spring. A white tigress laid exhausted in her bed. A mid-aged feline walked up to the foot of the tigress' bed. The tigress opened her eyes.

"Martha…" The middle aged white feline lowered her head.

"I'm afraid I have bad news for you, Your Highness." The tigress felt her heart skip a beat as she sat up.

"What are you saying?" The tigress stared at the empty hands of her maid.

"Where is my child?"

"That is the bad news." Martha responded to her queen.

"Why do you refuse to give me my child?!" Martha was having trouble answering the queen's question.

"Your child… your child was born dead, Your Majesty. There was nothing we could do." The queen shook her head.

"No. No, I don't believe you. I heard my child cry. I know my child is alive!"

"No, Your Highness. Your child never made a sound. Its body was limp and lifeless. I'm... I'm sorry." The realization of losing her first born finally hit the queen.

"No. No… no…" Martha remained still. The queen began to sob. In between breaths, the queen spoke to Martha

"Please… leave…"

"Yes, my queen."

Not too far away, a hooded figure rushed out of the castle with something in its arms. As the figure made out of the castle's walls, it was wise to dodge the guards. The thing in the figure's arms began to squirm and wiggle.

"Stay still, you little runt." The voice of the figure sounded feminine. The figure remained in the shadows as a couple of guards past it by. Just as it was about to escape through the castle's gates, the figure was stopped by one of the many guards.

"What do you hold in your arms?" The figure had to think quickly.

"It is the lifeless body of the queen's child." The figure did its best to disguise its voice. The guard stared at the figure in disbelief.

"I hope you don't mind me making sure, do you?" Before the figure could respond, the guard uncovered the child. Luckily, the young cat went limp, fooling the guard. The figure covered the child once more.

"Alright. Go." The figure bowed its head and quickly left into the forest.

The figure rushed through the forest until finally finding a strange aircraft. After making sure she hadn't followed, the figure knocked at what seemed to be a metal opening inside. The figure stood back as a door opened down. Another body was making their way out of the aircraft. The hooded figure made her way in front of the unknown stranger.

"Well, it seems your plan has worked quite nicely for me. But remind me once more why I had to wait so long to get this young cat? I'm sure there were others I could have gotten instead?" The stranger's voice sounded to be that of a male. The figure handed the child to the stranger.

"Let's just say you would be doing me quite the favor by taking this little runt of a child. Now to our deal. Since you now have this runt, you will my leave children alone and never return." The stranger looked down at the small panther in his arms. He began to tickle the young cat.

"I don't see why you continue to call this child a runt. Is it truly smaller than the average child of your species?" The stranger seemed to ignore the figure's question, thus infuriating the figure.

"You will leave and never search for my children again! For if I ever see you again, I will personally make sure you are killed. Is that clear, you pathetic human?!" The human looked up at the figure, quite annoyed at her outburst.

"If you want others to know that you're the one behind this, then continue on with your yelling. But yes, it was part of the deal that I would leave. I only need one for my plan to work and perhaps this young child will be perfect. Although, one is never too sure." The figure revealed a dagger it had.

"Don't even try." The human chuckled to himself.

"I am a man of my word and your beloved children are safe." The man went back to the child in his arms. A strange feeling rose inside him.

"That better be true. Now leave before anyone else discovers you were here." The figure moved away from the aircraft as the man nodded and walked back inside. The door closed and figure made its way out of the forest towards its home.

Inside of the aircraft, the lights were bright and face of the man was now visible. Gerald Robotnik walked into the control room of his space ship and began the sequence to leave. The young panther squirmed in his arms. Gerald once more looked down at the child and once more felt that strange feeling. He shook off the feeling and he took out a necklace that was in his pocket. The ship was well above the trees of the forest. He walked over to a nearby window and allowed the panther to look out as well.

"Things are working out perfectly. It is time for you to say good-bye to your home, my dear. You are only part one of my many part master plan. Thanks to you, I will have my revenge." Gerald looked down at the golden locket in his hand.

"For you I do this, Maria." With that, Gerald began his course back to Earth and left the very similar planet, kidnapping the true-blooded princess of Ondria.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Gerald seemed to be everywhere at once, working restlessly on his machines. The young panther watched him through her hazel eyes. For weeks now, Gerald had exposed the panther to the energy of a piece of the Master Emerald that he had. A green ring surrounded the amber yellow part of the panther's eyes. Gerald let out a frustrated sighed as he studied the data from one of his machines.

"I will never be finished at this rate." Gerald looked over to the glass cabinet he had inside one of the walls of his lab. Inside the cabinet was a small piece of the Master Emerald, no larger than his own hand. He stared at the gem for a few moments, hesitating. Gerald turned back towards the small panther. She gave him a blank look. Gerald sighed once more.

The professor worked fast. After many hard working hours, Gerald had finally transformed the Master Emerald's pure energy into a liquid form. He poured the liquid into a needle. Using his machines, Gerald slowly moved the needle closer towards the small panther. At the sight of the needle, the young panther grew frighten and nervous. The panther tried to get away until a device of Gerald's machine stopped her. "Please, just hold still little one." Fear was seen in the young panther's eyes as the needle grew ever closer. The small panther wriggled and squirmed but it was useless. Finally, the only thing that Gerald could hear was the screams of pain the panther let out. No matter how much she tried to escape, the device wouldn't let the panther free.

Once the last drop of the liquid was inserted into the panther, the device withdrew and the young she cat went limp. Gerald stared at the small cat. Gerald rushed toward his machines, hoping the panther was still alive. He was stopped by the machine that read the panther's heart beat.

"No. No, this can't be! NO!" Gerald banged his fist on the machine, but nothing changed. Finally, Gerald let out all his anger.

"NO! No, this can't happen! No! No..." Gerald placed his hand in his coat pocket, taking out the only thing he had left from his beloved granddaughter.

"I've failed you, Maria. I'm sorry."

Gerald slowly turned around and was shocked at what he saw. There, before him, was the panther. She was still alive and seemed unharmed. She had somehow taken off the oxygen mask and all the tubes Gerald had placed on her. She floated inside the tube, placing her tiny hands on the glass walls. She wore a blank stare. As Gerald walked closer, the young panther floated down to his eye level. Gerald placed his own hand on the glass, almost touching one of the hands of the small panther.

The panther almost seemed to giggle.

She then gave Gerald a smile; a smile he had not seen in much time. A forgiving, loving smile that Gerald had only gotten from one person until that moment. Gerald chuckled as he felt his heart ache.

"You know, my dear? You remind me of someone special. Someone whom I shall never see again." The small panther kept silent and smiling. Gerald looked down at the necklace in his hand then back at the small cat.

"Maria was my everything. She was sweet, loving, and most importantly, forgiving. And I should be the same." The small panther seemed to nod.

Gerald sighed. He closed his fist and took a step back from the glass tube. Gerald smiled as he looked into the eyes of the young panther. Because of pure energy of the Master Emerald he had injected in her, the panther's eyes had turned as green as the Master Emerald itself.

"You have been with me for some time now, my young one. It is about time I give you a fitting name." The young she-cat gave Gerald a gentle smile.

"Perhaps Emi?" The young panther gave Gerald a confused look.

"No? Then maybe Hitomi?" The panther gave Gerald a more angered look than the first. Gerald chuckled nervously.

"Well, that name is a certain no. Although, Kohaku would have made more sense if your eyes were still an amber color." Gerald paused for a moment, thinking about what he just said. Gerald stared into the emerald eyes of the panther.

"Esmeralda would be the perfect name for you. Perhaps you agree?" The small panther responded by giving Gerald a happy giggle.

"Then it is settled. You shall be Esmeralda, the Master Emerald itself." Esmeralda's eyes seemed to sparkle at the sound of her new name.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Esmeralda, now seven years old, carefully watched Gerald as he fixed one of his many machines. Though it was somewhat difficult to see through the glass, Esmeralda was still able to know what Gerald was doing. Finally, Gerald stood up and looked at his work.

"Hopefully, this machine will STAY fixed." Gerald chuckled as he spoke to Esmeralda.

"Maybe." Esmeralda responded. Gerald sighed as he looked at a digital clock he had built into one of his walls. The clock read eight.

"It's been a long day for the both of us. You get some rest." Esmeralda nodded. She floated down to the bottom of the tube and curled up.

"Good night, Esmeralda." Gerald chuckled. Esmeralda gave Gerald a sleepy smile followed by a small yawn. Gerald watched Esmeralda until he knew she was asleep. Afterwards, he went to his own bed.

Esmeralda's eyes opened. A beeping sound had awoken her. Esmeralda lifted her head and twitched her ears until she found the source of the beeping. She floated up and realized that the machine Gerald had fixed had once again broke. Esmeralda let out an annoyed sighed. She looked up to the clock. It read eleven thirty.

The beeping sound was loud for the ears of the small panther. After a few moments, Esmeralda realized that only she could hear the beeping. She began to feel anxious as she started to look around for a way out. Esmeralda sighed.

*I wish I could get out.* With that, Esmeralda blinked, turning her emerald eyes into a beautiful aqua color before disappearing. Esmeralda let out a squeak as she found herself a foot above the ground. She landed on the hard ground with a thud. She laid on the ground for a few moments. As she sat up, she felt strange.

Esmeralda looked around. She was still in the lab. Finally she gasped as she saw the tube she was once in was now behind her.

"I'm out." She said softly. Suddenly, the annoying beeping sound reminded her why she got out in the first place.

Esmeralda quickly stood up and just as quickly fell back down with her first step. She sat up again. In the water, her movements were slow and flowing. Out in the open air, she moved more quickly and was much more clumsy. Esmeralda slowly stood up once more. She moved her tail around, finding it easier to keep her balance.

Ever so slowly, Esmeralda finally made it to the broken machine. She kneeled in front of the cabinet of the machine and opened the small door revealing all the wires of the machine.

*Easy!* Esmeralda thought as she giggled. Esmeralda began to fix the machine as her mind worked quickly.

After three and a half hours of work, Esmeralda leaned back to see what she had done. As she scanned her work, a big smile formed on Esmeralda's face. She closed the door and stood up.

Suddenly, Esmeralda began to find it harder to breathe. After a few seconds she grabbed her throat and started to gasp for air. She had never experienced anything as she did at that moment. Fear grew inside her as things worsen as she continued to suffocate. Finally, Esmeralda couldn't stand any longer. As she fell forward, Esmeralda pressed the alarm button, causing Gerald to wake up.

"ESMERALDA!" Gerald rushed towards Esmeralda as she was literally a fish out of water. Gerald wasn't sure what to do. All he could think of was to place Maria's necklace on Esmeralda. Once the necklace was around her neck, Esmeralda took in deep breaths and began to cough out drops of water. Knowing she was fine, Esmeralda wrapped her arms around Gerald's neck, shaking all the while. Gerald was a bit stunned by this gesture but gently returned the embrace.

Esmeralda's eyes showed fear and tears welled in them. She pulled herself away from Gerald, confused as to what was going on with her eyes. Esmeralda wiped the water from her eyes and showed her hands up to the professor.

"Broken." Gerald chuckled softly.

"You're crying and it's alright that you do. A bit strange, isn't it?" Esmeralda nodded. Gerald looked at the empty tube in the middle of the lab. "But how did you get out?" Gerald asked out loud. Esmeralda then blinked. Her emerald eyes then turned into lovely magenta purple color.

*"I wished myself out."* Gerald was surprised to hear Esmeralda's voice. She had never spoken in sentences, only in singular words and looks. Gerald turned his attention towards the small panther and her speech.

"How long have you been out?" Gerald asked. He then noticed Esmeralda's eyes had changed color. Esmeralda pointed at the clock, which now read one.

*"That thing you always look at had two ones, a three, and a zero."* Esmeralda replied without moving her mouth. Gerald stared at Esmeralda with amazement. Then it finally dawned on him what was going on.

"You have the ability of telepathy." Gerald whispered. Esmeralda lowered her ears. She was confused and worried and both were shown on her face.

*"What's that?"* Esmeralda asked, still not moving her mouth.

"It means you can speak through your thoughts. Whatever you think, I can hear." Esmeralda didn't like the sound of that.

*I don't want you to know what my thoughts are all the time.* Esmeralda thought while making a frown. Gerald saw Esmeralda's disapproval. He waited for a response.

*How amazing.* Esmeralda became jumpy at hearing Gerald's thought.

*"I heard you! I heard you!"* Again, the black panther had surprised the professor.

"But that's impossible! Only I can hear you. How can it be vice versa?" Esmeralda looked to the side sarcastically.

*I just did, so it's not impossible.* Gerald studied Esmeralda. He assumed that she was also able to block him from hearing her private thoughts.

"Well, I have to say, you are full of surprises." Gerald told her. Esmeralda giggled. She blinked, turning her eyes from purple back to emerald green.

"I know." Gerald picked up Esmeralda.

"I know you told me already, but again, how did you get out?" Esmeralda stared at Gerald.

"I wish out. Boom." Esmeralda pointed at the floor as she said the last word. Gerald took a few moments to think about what the young panther said.

"So, besides telepathy, you also have the ability of teleportation." Gerald finally said. Esmeralda gave him a blank look.

"Big words." Esmeralda responded. Gerald glanced at the necklace Esmeralda wore. Thoughts ran quickly through Gerald's head.

"It's amazing what the power of the Master Emerald can do." Esmeralda gave Gerald a confused look.

*"Why do you say that?"* Gerald pointed at the golden locket around Esmeralda's neck.

"The necklace you wear contains a very small yet powerful piece of the Master Emerald. It's the most powerful gem ever known." Esmeralda stared at the professor in awe.

"Also, you have quite some amount of the emerald's energy inside you. It's the reason for your unnatural eye color and these powers you now miraciously have. It could also be the reason why you are able to breathe the air around you now. Perhaps it's a reaction between your energy and the necklace's." Esmeralda sat quietly, taking in all what Gerald was saying. After a few seconds, she began to shiver as she was still a bit wet. Gerald let out a small chuckle.

"I believe we need to get you dry." Esmeralda gave the professor a shaky nod.

Esmeralda, wrapped in a towel, sat on Gerald's bed. Gerald was in his closet looking for a specific box.

"Ah ha. I found it." Gerald came out of his closet. As he placed the box down, Esmeralda saw that it was filled with a bunch of clothes too small for Gerald. Gerald rummaged around the box until he found a pair of underwear for a toddler. As he tried to put the underwear on Esmeralda, Esmeralda quickly moved away her legs, disapproving the gesture.

"Esmeralda, you will be cold if you don't wear clothes." Esmeralda gave the underwear a disgusted look but soon gave in.

After being dressed in a gown, Esmeralda began to squirm in discomfort. Gerald gave her a confused look.

"What's wrong?" Esmeralda's eyes turned purple.

*"Really?!"* Esmeralda went on all fours, her behind facing Gerald. The professor began to chuckle.

"Oh, I see your problem." Gerald went to one of his drawers and took out a pair of scissors. He walked back to Esmeralda and started to cut a hole where her tail was. After the hole was cut, Esmeralda popped out her tail and moved it around happily. She began to giggle. Gerald smiled.

"Well, it's very late now. Time to rest, my dear." Esmeralda sighed but obeyed. Gerald dimmed down the lights and climbed under the covers. Esmeralda, behaving much like a normal house cat, crawled under the covers next to Gerald. Gerald smiled as Esmeralda rubbed her back against his side, marking him as her property.

"Good night, my emerald." Esmeralda purred in response as she quickly fell asleep.

Esmeralda laid on her back on the bed, still asleep, the next day. Esmeralda yawned as she grew awake. She rubbed her face with both hands and rolled over to her right side.

Esmeralda stared at the picture on Gerald's drawer. She was mesmerized at the person within the picture. Esmeralda's curiosity grew as she jumped down the bed. She began walking towards the picture, slowly trying to reach it.

"I see you're awake." Esmeralda spun around quickly, frighten at Gerald's sudden appearance. She lowered her ears in guilt, but turned back to the picture. Gerald walked over to Esmeralda.

"Pretty." Esmeralda gently touched the picture. Gerald smiled.

"She was always very beautiful. Sadly she's not here anymore. I'm sure she would have loved you. She was very fond of animals." Gerald picked up Esmeralda. The small panther did not stop staring at the picture. Something about the blue eyes of the person seemed familiar to the young cat. Gerald sighed.

"Come now, my dear. I'm sure you're hungry." And with that, they left the only memory left of Maria back in Gerald's room.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Esmeralda crouched low to the ground. Her eyes turned into a quick silver before completely disappearing. She was in the shadows, waiting. As Gerald moved to a machine close to her, Esmeralda leaped out. As she pounced on Gerald, Esmeralda began to giggle. Although caught by surprise, Gerald maintained his balance. As Esmeralda reappeared, Gerald began to laugh as well.

"Happy birthday, my little emerald." Gerald said to the young panther.

"Thank you, Professor." Esmeralda responded back. She jumped down and stood up. Although five years had past, Esmeralda was still only as tall as ten year old human. Gerald went back to his work but continued to talk to Esmeralda.

"You know, I can't believe it's been twelve years now. It feels only like a couple days ago when you were only a kitten." Esmeralda paused to think herself. Much had happened during those many years. She had learned about the different powers she possessed and she had been playing around with those powers. Not only did she have the powers of telepathy and teleportation, she was also able to turn invisible and float by telekinesis, which also allowed her to use forcefields. Telekinesis was a new power she had just learned but liked to use often. As Esmeralda began to float next to Gerald, her eyes changed to bright ruby color.

"What are you doing now Professor?" Gerald continued to type on his machine.

"Nothing much, my dear. Just analyzing some data of tests that I've run on these machines to make sure they're working." Esmeralda nodded.

"Is there something I can help with?" Gerald stopped for a moment.

"Well you know that machine in the corner over there? If you can do me the favor of fixing it, I would very much appreciate that, my dear." Esmeralda nodded.

"Of course, Professor." Esmeralda walked over to the mentioned machine. Esmeralda began pushing a few buttons and began to type a couple of codes. After a short few minutes, Esmeralda had finished fixing the simple machine. "I'm finished, Professor."

"It seems like you are, aren't you? Well, I don't have anything else for you to do so, why don't you just relax?" Esmeralda sighed. She started to float in the air in a sitting position, quite bored. Then she noticed a glass of water that was on one of the machines.

"Hm." Esmeralda began to float above the glass, peering curiously down at it. A strange feeling arose inside her as she stared at the water inside the glass. While still afloat, Esmeralda concentrated some of her telekinetic energy particularly around the water. She began to move around one of her hands and as she did so, the water followed on a nice little trail. This made the young feline giggle. Very soon, the water was out of the glass and floating magically in the air. Esmeralda then decided to use both hands and stand up. When she stretched her hands apart, she noticed the amount of water increased. Esmeralda let out an astonished gasp and a small idea formed in her mind. She began to stretch her arms and when she decided she had enough water, Esmeralda began to move her hands in a more graceful manner. The feline's ruby eyes began to sparkle much brighter now as she was surrounded by rings and rings of water. A fierce look was seen in her eyes as she moved with the water, forming it into what she pleased. The first thing she was able to create from the water was a small butterfly. A small gasp came into Esmeralda's throat as the water butterfly surprised her. In a matter of seconds, Esmeralda created a dozen more butterflies. As she stared at what she had done, Esmeralda became unaware of her surroundings and that the professor was staring at her.

"What are you doing?!" Gerald finally said. Quite surprised at the sound of the professor's voice, Esmeralda tensed up thus making the water turn into vapor. A few drops had landed back into the glass.

"Oh, um, sorry Professor. I shouldn't have touched your glass of water." The young panther turned to face Gerald with ears laid back and apologetic emerald eyes.

"No, that's alright. What concerns me is what you were doing WITH the water. It seemed like you were controlling the water, maybe the particles themselves. It was like a new power." Esmeralda turned away, a bit confused by the professor's theory.

"I don't think that's possible Professor. I wasn't really controlling the water." Gerald stared in wonder at the young cat.

"Then how would you explain it? The figures and shapes you were making?" Esmeralda was confused herself on how she did what she had done.

"I'm not really sure how to explain it but I can do it again." Esmeralda walked back to the partially empty glass. When the professor stood next to her, she began her demonstration. She began again with concentrating her telekinesis around the few drops of water. Then she began to expand it. Once she believed she had enough to work with, Esmeralda then began to move her hands in circular movements, creating more water. Once she saw she had enough, she dropped one hand and with the other, dropped all the water into the glass, filling it up to where it had begun.

"How astonishing." Gerald stared at the glass that only a few moments ago had been empty.

"I have to say my dear, whether or not you control the water, what you have done is amazing. Perhaps even a miracle." Esmeralda turned away, her white muzzle changing into a bright pink color.

"Thank you, Professor, but I doubt it's that amazing."

"Perhaps not to you, but to humans like myself, it's a quite amazing skill." Esmeralda gave Gerald a small smile and turned back to the glass.

"These powers that I'm gaining are a bit amazing, aren't they? And all of them come from a bit of energy from the Master Emerald, right?" Gerald nodded.

"Yes, but there is something you must know and always remember. The Master Emerald's energy is quite powerful and it remains unknown what its energy is capable of doing. The energy is able to cause miracles on its own but within you, it seems to become much more powerful. You have unimaginable powers but it seems it has mutated you in one way as you can no longer breathe air." Esmeralda looked down at herself.

"So these powers I have, they're unnatural?" Gerald began to walk back to his machines.

"But of course. I gave you those powers, thus creating you to be what I wanted you to be."

*So this means I am nothing more than a creation. A living creation with supernatural powers.* Esmeralda remained quiet as she mistook the words of the professor. "So, you made me?"

"I did not make you exactly, but as my project, I gave you powers no living being can naturally have. You are quite special, my Emerald. It's the reason why I call you my Emerald Project."

*A scientific creation. This means I'm the only one like this. There is none other like me.* Esmeralda used her telekinesis to float in front of the professor. "If I have these powers, would it not be right to learn how to use them? As in training?" Gerald looked at the black furry in front of him.

"That is a very good idea, Esmeralda. Perhaps in that way I can understand the emerald's energy better as well as see the potential you have with the it. We shall start the tests tomorrow or after." Esmeralda began to get excited.

"No, please! Let's began now! There must be something I can do now to train?" Gerald began to chuckle.

"Sadly I have nothing for you to train with nor a place for you. That is why I am saying we shall begin later. Perhaps I can empty a room and there you can start. If you are truly this enthusiastic, you can search a room to your liking now so we can begin sooner." Esmeralda let out a happy laugh.

"Alright!" Esmeralda quickly left the lab and began to look for a large enough room in the ever extending hallway. After a few minutes, Esmeralda passed a room whose doors opened on their own. Curiosity grew inside the young cat as she entered the dark room. It was greatly similar to the main lab, only smaller. The other difference was the large glass window on the other side of a couple machines. Esmeralda went up to the glass and after wiping off the dirt on it, she could see an entire room on the other side of the glass. She looked around the small lab and noticed a door leading into the other room. Esmeralda went up to the door, expecting it to open automatically. After realizing it wouldn't, Esmeralda took notice of a small panel next to the door. *Locked. Maybe the Professor knows the code.* Esmeralda left the new discovered lab and went to find the professor.

"Well, I haven't seen this room in ages." The professor remarked when he entered the lab Esmeralda had found.

"Is it good enough to train in?" Esmeralda asked anxiously. The professor smiled.

"But of course it is. This is a training lab. The room you saw is the actual training area. But we would need to clean this lab first which could take awhile." Esmeralda gave a confident nod.

"Don't worry. I'm sure I can get it clean in no time at all!" As she said this excitedly, Esmeralda quickly left the training lab and went to a smaller room where the she knew the professor had cleaning items. Esmeralda returned to the training lab and began wiping clean the nearest machine. Gerald watched as she did so and began to leave.

"Well, while you entertain yourself cleaning here, I am going to finish my work back at the lab. Perhaps when I am done and return, you will also be finished here." Esmeralda nodded at the professor.

"Alright, Professor! I'm sure this place will be looking better before when you come back!" With that, the professor left the young cat to clean.

After a few hours of work, Gerald returned to the training lab to check on Esmeralda.

"Esmeralda? I've come to check on you." As Gerald entered the smaller lab, he noticed a large difference in the room. "Well then. Nicely done. Esmeralda, where are you child?" The black furry poked her head up from behind a machine at the mention of her name.

"Oh. Hello, Professor! I've finished cleaning and i was trying to fix this machine so it might turn on again." The professor walked to machine Esmeralda kneeled behind and saw she had taken the back cover off and was messing with several wires.

"So I see, young one. Are you close to repairing it?"

"I believe so." Esmeralda replied then bit a wire and connected it to another loose one within the machine. After doing so, the machine began to make a humming sound, thus saying it was now working. "Yes! I did it!" Esmeralda said excitedly. The professor chuckled and began to press various buttons on the machine.

"It would seem like you did and perhaps even improved it some. I see some functions that were not operational when I first used it." Esmeralda placed the back cover once more on the machine and used her telekinesis to tighten the screws. She walked over beside the professor and looked and the screens on the machine.

"Functions like what, Professor?" Gerald continued to keep his eyes on the screen and control as he replied back to Esmeralda.

"Well you fixed the enemy spawner which broke in one training session but you made the habitat changer operational, something I had tried to do many times. Oh how many times I hoped to use that function." Esmeralda looked over to the habitat changer and decided to humor the professor.

"Well why don't we try it out, Professor!" Before Gerald could argue, Esmeralda teleported herself into the training room. Gerald searched for the mic on the machine and once found, spoke into it to speak with the feline inside the room.

"Esmeralda, dear, I know you're excited to start but I haven't used this machine in ages. I don't believe I remember how to use it." Esmeralda shook her head.

"No worries, Professor! We will use this time to experiment with the machine. And besides, I do have the energy of the Master Emerald within me. I am able to handle anything with it."

"But Esmeralda..."

"Please, Professor. Just try out the climate function." Seeing that he would not be able to convince Esmeralda that the experiment might be dangerous, he sighed and looked at control panel. There was a environment setting and a humidity dial. He set the environment to forest vegetation and raised the humidity to ten percent.

"Alright, Esmeralda. Are you ready?" Esmeralda gave the professor a confident nod.

"Let's start!" The professor pressed a button on the control panel and the room changed into the settings he had placed in. Esmeralda was amazed at the environment around her. "Professor, this is incredible! Why don't we try out a couple of enemies, please?"

"Esmeralda, I don't think that's a good idea right now. You might..."

"Oh please, Professor! Let's just try!" Fearing her excitement was getting the best of her, Gerald did what Esmeralda wanted. Placing the settings of the enemies to low, Gerald began the training session as he watched quietly. He was too worried to say anything and was prepared to end it all if he felt the experiment was too dangerous.

"ESMERALDA!" Gerald screamed as he watched the young feline struggling to free herself. The experiment had only lasted a few minutes before the young cat had gotten trapped by a single enemy. With absolutely no experience in fighting , Esmeralda had easily become overwhelmed with only a few enemy robots. As she was trying to defend herself from one enemy, another one tried to make her lose her concentration. After the small struggle of trying to fight back, another enemy came from behind and ambushed the young cat. Trying to follow her instinct to escape, Esmeralda was instead captured and trapped. As she tried to struggle free, the robot only tighten its grip. The young cat eventually showed difficultly breathing.

"THAT IS IT!" Gerald slammed his fist on a button on the control panel, shutting everything off. Once the robot released the young panther, Esmeralda fell to her knees, gasping for air.

"Why did you stop, Professor?! I was just about to get that enemy!" Gerald showed great anger on his face.

"Esmeralda, get over here NOW!" The small feline lowered her ears at the harsh tone of the professor, but returned to the small lab by teleporting. As she reappeared on the floor in the lab, Esmeralda stood up and walked over to the furious professor.

"I don't see the reason why you had to turn off the entire experiment. Things were going just fine." The professor began to shake in anger and finally let out his fury.

"Fine?! Being nearly killed is not fine, you ridiculous child! Not only that, those enemies were barely on the lowest level! If I had put them on a higher level as you might have wanted, you wouldn't even here now. You are extremely lucky that I was here to stop it all. You need to learn where your limits are and your limits do not reach that far and you need to understan..."

"LOOK, I'M SORRY, ALRIGHT?!" Esmeralda flew up to eye level with the professor. The young panther seemed to share the same amount of anger as the professor.

"I'm sorry things went wrong and I'm sorry I don't know my limits at times but you need to understand and realize that I am bored out of my mind in this place! I have been in this lab for twelve, long years and all I've done is fix machines and learn overly complicated equations and formulas. Other than that, I feel like I have no other purpose in my life!" Esmeralda looked down and took in a deep breath. She floated back down and lowered her ears. She continued to speak in a more calmer tone.

"I'm not trying to say I'm not grateful for the teachings you've given me but I feel like I'm in this place for a reason. I feel like there's something I'm needed for. Something I may need to protect or something I need to fight against. I don't want danger to appear in front of me and not be prepared. I want to be able to fight back, to stand up for myself without having to depend on anyone else. I want to be able to protect you, Professor. The same way you've kept me safe here in this lab." The professor remained quiet as Esmeralda poured out her feelings. He knew she had more to say and thus continued to listen to the young feline.

"But while you keep me in a lab, I feel like I have no purpose in life. When the idea of training came to mind, I was excited. I finally had a chance to have a purpose. But with your over protectiveness, it's like you're trying to take away that purpose from me. I just want to have something to keep me occupied and give me some sense of purpose." The professor let out a sigh of his own, releasing any leftover anger he had.

"I understand that you want to be kept busy, my dear child, but you cannot go around being reckless. Esmeralda, you are not my actual child but you have been with me for so long that I have grown to care and love you as if you were. You're safety and health is greatly important to me, my emerald." Esmeralda nodded.

"I know, Professor. I have grown to care for you, too. That is why I want to get stronger. So that I may be able to defend myself and you." Professor Robotnik could see the fierce determination in the young panther's eyes. He then came to a final decision.

"Alright then. I will allow this training to continue only if you agree to listen to what I tell you. I know what is best for you and how far your limits reach. Do we have a deal?" Esmeralda stared up to the professor with a new found excitement that sparkled in her eyes.

"Deal."


End file.
